1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to improvements in an airbag restraint system for protecting a vehicle passenger in a vehicle serious collision, and more particularly to an airbag restraint system which is useful during a lateral directional collision, such as when the doors of the vehicle are impacted.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Hitherto, a variety of airbag restraint systems for automotive vehicles have been proposed and put into practical use in order to protect a vehicle passenger in the event of a vehicle serious collision or the like. Such an airbag restraint system includes an airbag installed on an instrument panel or steering wheel through a base plate. The airbag is momentarily inflated by gas fed from a gas generator in the event of the vehicle serious collision or the like. However, such an airbag restraint system is not effectively operated when the vehicle receives the impact from an right and left door sides. In order to overcome the above-mentioned drawback, an airbag restraint system has been proposed which is useful in the event that the collision occurs in the vehicle lateral direction. Such an airbag restraint system is disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Provisional Publication Nos. 1-117957 and 61-95657. In such an airbag restraint system, an airbag is received in the armrest installed an each of the right and left doors. The other airbag restraint system has an airbag which is received in the console box disposed beside a driver's seat and which is inflated rearward for passengers seating which are seated on a rear seat.
However, such a conventional airbag restraint system cannot prevent the vehicle passengers in the passenger compartment from impacting into each other.